The El Paso Tigers will take on the Canutillo Eagles at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. El Paso is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, El Paso didn't have quite enough to beat Burges and fell 3-2. That's two games in a row now that the Tigers have lost by just one run.
Austin Slagel
| 04/21/26 @ Burges | 1 |
| 04/17/26 vs Jefferson | 2 |
| 04/14/26 @ Andress | 1 |
Austin Slagel was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played. Another player making a difference was Dalin Beltran, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one double.
Meanwhile, Canutillo had already won 13 in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.2 runs) and they went ahead and made it 14 on Tuesday. They put the hurt on the Silver Foxes with a sharp 9-3 victory. Considering the Eagles have won 11 contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Rylee Estrada looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Ernesto Ramirez, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Diego Acosta was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs and one RBI.
Canutillo always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .515. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Jefferson only posted an OBP of .200.
El Paso has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost four of their last five matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 12-12-1 record this season. As for Canutillo, their win bumped their record up to 18-9.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. El Paso has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. However, it's not like Canutillo struggles in that department as they've averaged .468. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
El Paso came up short against Canutillo in their previous meeting on April 2nd, falling 5-1. Will the Tigers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
